Tax Deadline, April 9

The Oregon Department of Revenue is reminding nearly 500,000 Oregonians that they still need to file personal income tax returns by the April 15 filing deadline. That’s only one week away. “Based on last year’s totals, we expect another 470,000 returns by April 15,” said Megan Denison, Policy and Systems Manager for Revenue. “That’s nearly one-third of all the returns we receive during tax season.” Revenue says about one million personal income tax returns have been processed already this year. Oregonians are overwhelmingly filing returns electronically, with a statewide average of almost 92%. The agency says that’s a good thing for taxpayers. “E-filing gets returns processed faster,” Denison added. “Filing electronically and requesting direct deposit is always the fastest way to get your refund.” Besides filing electronically, Revenue encouraged anyone who hasn’t filed yet to: * Double check your math and make sure all the required forms are included in your return. Tax preparation software can help prevent little mistakes that will slow processing of your return. * Remember that an extension to file is not an extension to pay. Oregon honors a filing extension issued by the IRS, but interest on your tax-to-pay starts accumulating from the day the return was originally due. Visit www.oregon.gov/dor to get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments, or call 1-800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish); 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon; or email, questions.dor@oregon.gov. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired), call 1-800-886-7204. Due to the number of calls Revenue receives during tax season, you may experience extended waiting times.